Thirsty Boots
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Standard Notation
Mandolin Tablature
Song Sheet
Eric Andersen
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
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Lyrics:
You've long been on the open road,
You been sleepin' in the rain.
From dirty words and muddy cells
Your clothes are soiled and stained,
But the dirty words and the muddy cells
Will soon be hid in shame.
So only stop to rest yourself and you'll go off again.
Chorus
So take off your thirsty boots
And stay for awhile.
Your feet are hot and weary
From a dusty mile
And maybe I can make you laugh
And maybe I can try
I'm just lookin' for the evenin'
And the mornin' in your eyes.
Then tell me of the ones you saw
As far as you could see,
Across the plains from field to town
A-marchin' to be free
And of the rusted prison gates that tumbled by degree
Like laughing children one by one
They looked like you and me.
Chorus
I know you are no stranger down
The crooked rainbow trails,
From dancing cliff-edge shattered sills
Of slandered shackled jails,
Where the voices drift up from below
As the walls are bein' scaled.
Yes, all of this and more
Your song shall not be failed.
Chorus
"Thirsty Boots" is a civil rights era folksong by American singer-songwriter<br> Eric Andersen that first appeared on his 1966 album 'Bout Changes 'n' Things.<br> According to the album's liner notes, the song "was written to a civil rights<br> worker-friend. Having never gone down to Mississippi myself, I wrote the song<br> about coming back".<br> The song was covered by many singers in the late 60's.<br> Bob Dylan also recorded this song for his 1970 album Self Portrait,<br> but it did not make the final cut; however, it was featured on 2013's The<br> Bootleg Series Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969–1971) and also released as a<br> single to the album.<br> Andersen has stated in interviews that Phil Ochs encouraged him to finish the<br> song and later recordings of "Boots" were dedicated to the late folksinger.<br> When my friend Geoff DiMego first came to Penn State from Massechusetts in 1966,<br> he introduced us to Eric Andersen via this song.<br> It was printed in The Judy Collins Songbook (1969) and in<br> Sing Out! Magazine Vol. 16, #1, February-March 1966.<br> It was recorded by Eric Andersen on 'Bout Changes 'N Things and by The Kingston<br> Trio, John Denver, Judy Collins and others.<br>
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